Carbines fill a unique niche within the world of firearms. Strictly speaking, carbine is either a shorter weapon that shoots a rifle round, or a long weapon that shoots a pistol round. They are very much a purpose-built weapon system, and unless you are on a swat team or in some sort of para-military group it can be hard to justify the expense, which can be prohibitive. That is a shame, cause the damn things are fun. Fortunately, those crazy guys in Ohio feel that everybody should have a carbine, just in case of zombie infestation. Thus, the Hi-point 995 was born.

THE GOOD:

It's a carbine!
The chances of you ever having to clear a house of armed insurgents is pretty rare. However, carbines are purpose built for urban combat. You have the advantage of significantly increased muzzle velocity from the longer barrel, and the added stability of the larger firing platform. Your shots will hit harder, and be more accurate than with a pistol, and you won't have to try to wield a long-arm in confined spaces. Carbines are compromise weapons, but in their specific role, they are unbeatable.It could happen...

Surgical tool
I took one of these to the range and put 300 rounds through it from a standing position. The stock sights had to be adjusted 2 clicks to the right, and that was it. I put ten rounds through a hole the size of a quarter at 15 yards with this weapon. At thirty yards, my group was 4 inches. I am no professional shooter, and that was impressive. This weapon shoots point of aim every time, and the stock peep sights made for very fast target acquisition and sight picture. Absolutely no recoil kept rounds on target even when shooting quickly. Like every Hi-Point I've ever tried, it shoots straight.

Manufacturer confidence
Hi-point has what is almost certainly the greatest guarantee in the firearms business. Quite simply, if it breaks, or doesn't shoot right, send it back and get it fixed or replaced. Period. Forever. Even if you bought the gun at a tag sale. They don't care. If it says "Hi-Point" on the gun. they will fix it and return it. The internet is rife with people singing the praises of Hi-Point customer service. Often, the weapon is returned in two weeks with a couple extra magazines for your trouble. The Hi-Point turnaround time for repairs shames S&W, Taurus, and Ruger; all whom I have personally dealt with.

THE BAD:

Short legs
This weapon comes with a ten-round single stack magazine. Carbines are supposed to have enormous ammo capacity! MP5's can have a 50-round stick, M4's come with 30-round magazines, and we won't even mention SKS! What is the point of lugging a six-pound weapon into a combat situation with only a piddling ten rounds? Hi-Point, you dropped the ball on that! Pro-mag makes a 15-round magazine, but reviews are mixed on the overall quality of these.

Woefully inadequate!

Versatility-challenged
The reason we do budget gun reviews is because we don't have unlimited funds for firearms. This limits both the quantity and variety of our choices. This is not multi-tasking tool like a pistol is. It will not do double-duty as a home-defense and personal defense weapon. Well, maybe in Vermont, Arizona, New Mexico and Alaska where it isn't specifically illegal to strap a large gun to your back and run to the grocery store, but even in those places you would probably attract more attention than you wanted. Your budget will need room for a dedicated home defense weapon or a toy to justify the expense of this tool. Fortunately, it ain't pricey.

Milk, eggs, bread...uhm...dammit! Should have written it down!

Home-Grown
Let's be real my friends, this is a working-man's tool. Fit and finish are not exemplary. Ergonomics are good, but not great. The mag release and safety are hard to reach without shifting your grip, and the charging handle is an enormous bolt that sticks out the side of the thing.

Well...pretty costs extra, folks.

THE UGLY:Brand consistency
Like all Hi-Point weapons this thing is hideous in its base configuration. Seriously...who designs these things for them? It looks like a child's water gun at first. Just plain, damn, weird. Don't worry, Hi-Point has released the "Target Stock" or "TS" versions. Much better looking, much better handling. ATI also has a replacement stock that looks suspiciously like the Beretta Storm. Coincidence? I think not!

The original *Shudder*

ATI stock: Look familiar?

Let's get tacticool!
The "TS" versions of this weapon have rails all over the damn place. Underlug, bottom of the stock, and a long top rail are all included. You can dress these things up REAL nice if you so choose. Ironically, it would be quite simple to load this thing up with accessories that exceed the cost of the weapon by several orders of magnitude. Lasers, scopes, grips, bayonets, lights, red-dot sights, whatever you want. All are standard weaver-style rails, so if you can dream it, you can do it.

Just for starters...

Gun Snobs
Let's face it, some people just hate cheap guns. Nothing pisses off a guy who just spent 1200 bucks on a weapon more than getting out-shot by someone who spent a fifth of that. Gun snobs are the bane of our hobby, and they HATE Hi-Point. My local Cabela's has such a man, who will openly scoff at any weapon that does not cost as much a a mortgage payment. (Author's note: It is illegal to harm these individuals. Education is the answer, not beating people with socks filled with quarters. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle! The best way to deal with a gun snob who disparages your weapon is to shoot circles around them. This weapon will do that.Doesn't shoot any better than the 995. I promise.

CONCLUSION

I must confess, dear reader: I love this thing. It is not particularly versatile or practical, but it is a joy to shoot, and did not cost much. As a dedicated home-defense weapon, it does a hell of a job, but that is really all it does on the realistic level. If you are on a budget, this should not be your first weapon for personal carry or home defense. You need a pistol for the former and a shotgun for that latter. (Although the 995 could easily substitute for the shotgun if you are recoil-averse) You can read my other reviews for recommendations along those lines. That being said, if you've got an extra 200 bucks laying around, the Hi-Point 995 will put a grin on your chin that would be hard to get rid of.

And lo, Kano looked down upon the field and saw the multitudes. Amongst them were the disciples of Uesheba who were greatly vexed at his sayings. And Kano spake: "Do not be concerned with the mote in thy neighbor's eye, when verily thou hast a massive stick in thine ass".

At the risk of being labeled a gun snob, the problem with a badly-built gun made of soft materials and utilizing blowback operation is not that it won't work long enough to win a fight.
It's that anyone who really trains with the thing will put far more rounds through it in the first year than it's designed to run throughout its entire intended service life.

Hi-Points are fine plinkers and they're fine for last-ditch defense (the much more common defensive gun that gets thrown under the bed and rarely if ever fired by someone who doesn't really train with it.) These are low-round-count propositions. But try to get through a couple of two-or-three-day training courses with a Hi-Point--any Hi-Point--and chances are you'll destroy it.

If people are really paying $190 for them, then they're a little more saving away from a cheap, serviceable AK variant that will serve them better.

That's a valid point, and I don't disagree with you, Don; but that is really hard to quantify. Which is not to say you are wrong, just that I can't speak to it.

I also don;t know that they are 'badly built," But they certainly use less exotic materials (read: cheaper) and more streamlined manufacturing processes (read: a bunch of guys in a warehouse cranking out orders by hand), this does not necessarily mean that they will suffer from shorter lifespan. But it IS a factor that must be considered.

I do try to write these for the non-tactical, low-end user. Since Hi-Point will fix it, no matter what, they are either banking on non-tactical users as well, or they believe the weapon can take the abuse. Either way is fair enough, I think.

This is definitely amateur equipment for amateur shooters, I suppose I could make that clearer in the article if you think it will improve it.

And lo, Kano looked down upon the field and saw the multitudes. Amongst them were the disciples of Uesheba who were greatly vexed at his sayings. And Kano spake: "Do not be concerned with the mote in thy neighbor's eye, when verily thou hast a massive stick in thine ass".

The guy at Multi-gun is an amateur, but fairly serious competitor. He asked for a Hi-Point owner to put his money where his mouth is by loaning him a Hi-Point to use in a season of pistol competition, and a retailer stepped up and shipped him a C9 pistol and magazines. I think he'll give the Hi-Point a fair shake, but it's really a no-lose situation for the Hi-Point fans. If it dies, well, no one really expected more. If he does well with it, then Hi-Point fanboys will cite the experiment for the next 50 years, not without justification.

So far, what he's found out is that:

1. The sights on the Hi-Point are painted with contrasting colors of enamel, and they're actually easy to pick up. Point to Hi-Point.

2. His scale measures the trigger at 10 pounds and change. Ouch to Hi-Point.